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Semi Minolta III
}} The Semi Minolta III The Semi Minolta III is a postwar model, quite similar to the late Semi Minolta II but with a more modern finish and with auto-stop film advance and double exposure prevention. It is said to be the first camera sold by Chiyoda Kōgaku after the war. Francesch, p. 82. The Semi Minolta IIIA The original version is retrospectively called Semi Minolta IIIA because of the IIIB and IIIC versions, but at the beginning it was only called Semi Minolta III (セミ・ミノルタⅢ型). It appears in Japanese advertisements between 1946 and 1950 , p. 368. . The diagonal struts, folding bed and die cast body are identical to the late Semi Minolta II. The back is identical too, with the red window only needed to set the first exposure. The bottom side is different, with no advance key, a small knob at each end and a centred tripod screw (engraved MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN at least in some examples), but the main changes are concentrated on the top side. There is a chrome finished top plate, separated in two by a small step in the middle. Its right half is slightly thicker because it contains the automatic film advance mechanism. It supports the advance knob, the folding bed opening button and contains a small hole showing the exposure counter disc. The advance knob is engraved to indicate the advance direction, with variations in the engraving: the two simple black arrows of the beginning were later replaced by a single one, more stylized. Examples also exist with a CPO logo, consisting of the katakana シーピーオー inside a diamond. , p. 672. There is a small button protruding from the rear of the top plate, which is used to reset the exposure counter. The left half of the top plate supports the folding optical finder, the body release above the hinge of the folding bed, and an accessory shoe at the left end of the body. The body release is internally linked to the film advance to insure double exposure prevention. The button itself was modified at some time with a thread to attach a distant release. The shutter of the Semi Minolta III is a Kōnan-Rapid, with B, 1–500 speeds, made by Chiyoda itself. The speed rim and the top of the shutter plate are both engraved KŌNAN-RAPID, while the bottom of the shutter plate is engraved CHIYOKŌ. The original IIIA version is not synchronized. The aperture is set by a small index on top of the shutter housing. Three lens variants of the IIIA are reported Francesch, p. 82, and Supuringu kamera de ikō, p. 77. : * Rokkor 75/3.5 (engraved Chiyoko Osaka ROKKOR 1:3.5 f=75mm NrXXXX); * Promar 75/3.5; * Zuiko 75/3.5 (made by Takachiho, the predecessor of Olympus). The Rokkor 75/3.5 is the first lens made by Chiyoda for civilian use According to this page of the Manual Minolta website, it is the first lens made by the company, but there are military precedents. , and it is also the first coated lens sold in Japan According to this page of the Konica Minolta official website. . It seems to be the standard equipment, with which the camera is consistently advertised , p. 368. (for example it is the only lens offered in an advertisement dated February 1948 Published in Ars Camera and reproduced in , p. 193. ). An early advertisement, dated January 1947 Published in Ars Camera and reproduced in , p. 193. , says that the camera is equipped with a new but unnamed coated lens, surely the Rokkor. It shows a four-element lens scheme, which seems to imply that the Rokkor has four elements. It is likely that the other lenses were only mounted at the beginning of the production, around 1946, when the new lens was not yet available in quantities. The Semi Minolta IIIB The Semi Minolta IIIB adds synchronization for magnesic flash units. It appears in Japanese advertisements dated 1950. , p. 368. Francesch, p. 83, and , p. 672, both say 1947 but it is certainly a mistake. Chiyoda Kōgaku sold a Minolta Flash Model U (ミノルタ同調発光器Ｕ型) to go with this model and with the Minolta 35 (it appears in a May 1950 advertisement Published in Ars Camera and reproduced in , p. 194. ). The IIIB is only reported with the Rokkor 75/3.5. Francesch, p. 83. An early example, pictured in this page, is known with the same shutter markings as on the IIIA and a specific synch pin on the left of the shutter housing. A later one has been observed with an ASA bayonet synch connector (on the top right of the shutter housing) and a white shutter plate, like the later IIIC, marked KONAN-RAPID and CHIYOKO with no macrons. The speed rim is engraved S-KONAN-RAPID at the bottom, the "S" presumably meaning Synchronized. Observation of an example in an online auction. The Semi Minolta IIIC The Semi Minolta IIIC appears in Japanese advertisements dated 1951. , p. 368. Francesch, p. 83, and , p. 672, both say 1948 but this is certainly a mistake. Some sources say that the IIIC is distinguished from the IIIB by the switch from a black shutter plate to a white one Francesch, p. 83, and , p. 672. , but this seems to be a mistake, the identification feature being the absence of double exposure prevention , p. 368. and some examples of the IIIB already having a white shutter plate. The IIIC has a small lever protruding from the front of the top plate, under the bed opening button, used to unlock film advance between two exposures. This lever has become necessary because of the removal of the double exposure prevention linkage between the shutter release and the advance mechanism. Lewis, p. 63, says that the IIIC is improved by the addition of an auto-stop advance lever, while it is the reverse: it is the loss of double exposure prevention that makes the lever necessary. The purpose of this retrogression was probably to cut costs. Of course this kind of change is not mentioned in the advertisements. For example the advertisement published in the January 1951 issue of Asahi Camera and reproduced in , p. 194. The IIIC is said to have the Rokkor 75/3.5 Francesch, p. 83. , but it has been observed In this page of the AJCC website and in an online auction. with the Chiyoko Promar SII 75/3.5 supplied with the later Semi Minolta P. One example of the IIIC has been observed Example pictured in this page of the AJCC website. with an aperture scale in white instead of black. The shutter rim and white shutter plate have the same markings as described for the late IIIB but on all the examples observed the synch connector is of the same specific type as the early IIIB pictured in this page. It is said that the accessory flash unit offered with the IIIC was called Model Ub. Francesch, p. 83. A rumour reported by Tanimura says that some late Semi Minolta III were equipped with Prontor shutters. None seems to have surfaced since and no picture is known. Tanimura, p. 2 of no. 131. Notes Bibliography Original documents * Asanuma Shōkai. Shashinki to zairyō (写真機と材料, Cameras and supplies). Catalogue dated October 1941. P.10. Document partly reproduced here in rebollo_fr's Flickr space. * Type 3, sections 4B and 5B. * Items 44–5. * Type 3, sections 4B and 5B. * Molta Gōshi-gaisha. Asanuma Shōkai hatsubai no kokusan kamera Minoruta Happī (浅沼商会発売の国産カメラミノルタ・ハッピー, Japan-made Minolta and Happy cameras distributed by Asanuma Shōkai). Leaflet dating about 1935. Document owned by Andrea Apra and reproduced here in rebollo_fr's Flickr space. * Molta Gōshi-gaisha. Danzen kesshutsu shita kokusan kamera (断然傑出した国産カメラ, Definitely excellent Japan-made cameras). Leaflet dating about 1936. Document owned by Andrea Apra and reproduced here in rebollo_fr's Flickr space. * Molta Gōshi-gaisha. Semi Minoruta kamera (セミミノルタカメラ, Semi Minolta camera). Leaflet dating about 1935. Document owned by Andrea Apra and reproduced here in rebollo_fr's Flickr space. Recent sources * Items 272–4 and 916–8. * Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Semi Minolta I-gata ni tsuite." (セミミノルタⅠ型について) In no. 104 (February 1986). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. * Pp. 35 and 41. * * P. 21. * Kawamata Masataku (川又正卓). "Semi Minolta." In ''Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata'' (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: The use of and actual examples from 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp. 76–7. * Pp. 52, 54, 60, 63 and 182. * P. 672. * Omoide no supuringu-kamera-ten (思い出のスプリングカメラ展, Exhibition of beloved self-erecting cameras). Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 1992. (Exhibition catalogue, no ISBN number.) P. 9. * Pp. 16–7, 22–3, 30 and 32–3. * Items 1199–1204 and 1356. * Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Supuringu kamera " (スプリングカメラ<セミミノルタ>, "'Semi Minolta' self-erecting camera"). Pp. 19–24. * Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Minolta I-gata to II-gata." (セミミノルタⅠ型とⅡ型, "Semi Minolta I and II") In no. 116 (February 1987). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. * Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Minolta I-gata to II-gata (sono 2)." (セミミノルタⅠ型とⅡ型(その2), "Semi Minolta I and II (part 2)") In no. 118 (April 1987). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. * Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Minolta I-gata gaibun." (セミミノルタⅠ型外聞, "Things heard about the Semi Minolta I") In no. 131 (May 1988). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. Links General links In English: * Semi Minolta II in Mediajoy's Guide to Classic Cameras. Follow the "Next" links at the bottom of the page to have an illustrated sequence of operations. * Minolta folding cameras at the Manual Minolta website * Semi Minolta II in Cameracatalogus * Early and late Semi Minolta II (mis-identified as Semi Minolta I and II) and Semi Minolta III(A) (mis-identified as Auto Semi Minolta) in Alon Halutzy's website * Semi Minolta III(A) in Steve Foster's camera site * Post by Andrea Apra about the accessory rangefinders sold with the Semi Minolta, in the Minolta Manual Focus Yahoo Group In German: * Semi Minolta III at kefk.net In Japanese: * Semi Minolta (original model) and Semi Minolta III(A) in the Camera database of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology * Semi Minolta II at Puppy's Island * Semi Minolta II at Bon's Homepage * Semi Minolta II and lens specs at ksmt.com * Late Semi Minolta II and Semi Minolta IIIC in a page of the AJCC website (the IIIC is misidentified as a IIIA) * Camera page with a Semi Minolta II in the go-tatsu website * Molta rangefinder and follow-up at Hitorigoto Used Camera Blog * Camera page with a Semi Minolta III(A) in Sawada's private home page * Semi Minolta III(A) at Minor House camera collection * Yutaka-san's camera collection, with a Semi Minolta IIIC, in the Nekocame website * Semi Minolta II and Semi Minolta IIIA in the Map Camera Museum * Semi Minolta II and Semi Minolta IIIA in the Kitamura Camera Museum Original documents In Japanese: * Advertisement for the Minolta range published in the 23 March 1938 issue of Asahi Graph, reproduced in the Gochamaze website Minolta, Semi Category: Minolta Category: S Minolta, Semi Category: 1934